The mock drafts have been all but finalized ahead of the 2011 NBA Draft, which will take place in Newark, N.J, on Thursday. And from all indications, who the Atlanta Hawks will select with the No. 48 overall pick is about as clear as the NBA's upcoming labor situation. There seems to be zero consensus on who the Hawks would select with their lone second round pick.
Nor should it be. This whole discussion of who the Hawks are going to have drop to them in the second round is one of those kind of things that should be simply for entertainment purposes only. Figuring out who is going to fall into the Hawks' lap is really like trying to solve the Rubik's cube. Marvin Williams may be able to figure out that little Rubik's cube puzzle in seconds, but for mere mortals like the rest of us, there are so many moving pieces in the NBA draft that it's almost pointless to even speculate.
This task is made more difficult because the Hawks haven't released the names of the 20-25 guys that they are looking at in this year's draft class and the media hasn't had a chance to interview them.
Bottom line is take these three mock drafts with a grain of salt and enjoy the speculation, but that's all it really is: water cooler stuff.
Draftexpress.com selects Purdue SG E'Twaun Moore with the 48th overall pick.
Former East Chicago Central High School product Moore knows a lot about winning. Draftexpress.com writes that Moore won a championship with his high school team and compiled 107 wins for the Boilermakers -- tying him with his current crop of four-year senior teammates for the most in school history.
In his four seasons with Purdue, Moore was in the NCAA Tournament each time, made the Sweet Sixteen twice and won a Big Ten regular season Championship and a Big Ten Tournament title.
Moore averaged 18 points and just over five rebounds per game in his senior season with Purdue. The draftexpress.com experts see the 6-foot-4, 191 pound shooting guard "lacks the ideal physical attributes for a prototypical shooting guard," but possesses "very good scoring instincts and a nice feel for the game."
Mynbadraft.com selects Tennessee swingman Scotty Hopson with the 48th overall pick.
Hopson played three seasons for the Volunteers. His game took off in his senior season, where he averaged nearly 17 points per contest. Draftexpress.com calls Hopson's talent "undeniable," but writes that the 6-foot-6, 195 pound swingman "seems to lack the polish, consistent mental approach and overall feel for the game to contribute efficiently on a game-to-game basis."
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